Owe Bjarneby profiles EC as part of a larger article about pop music, and noting his appearance on the Swedish TV program Nöjesliv.

Images

Cover and photo.

Elvis Costello and The New Wave

English translation by Owe Bjarneby

Extract:

In some sense one could argue that Elvis Costello could be seen as part of The New Wave as he is launched by the current punk scene’s foremost record company: Stiff Records. But Elvis Costello is by far a more nuanced and subtle artist than your average punk rocker. He used to call himself Elvis long before the American original passed away, he says he's 22 today and used to be a computer technician. His real name is kept a secret, all by the common law of how to create a legend.

This highly anti-spectacular revelation in big Buddy Holly-glasses, thin tie and jacket complete with rolled up blue jeans, is for me this year’s biggest surprise entry in the world of rock. His album debut My Aim Is True (Stiff Records distributed by Philips) is incredibly strong first. An album which furthermore was preceded by the highly acclaimed single "Less Than Zero." Curiously enough Elvis Costello has already made a live appearance on Swedish national TV, which goes to show that we are not totally isolated from the rest of the world – if by chance someone might have thought just that... So in the absence of Bruce Springsteen (up till now no new release since Born To Run in 1975) Elvis Costello seems a fair enough alternative and even so without having to be compared to him, I must say.